OneShot: It was never love
by Garnet-Moon
Summary: FE:10. Ashera has been defeated and life restored yet Almedha does not care. For a moment she reflects on her past and her husband, the mad king Ashnard. Warning spoilers for FE:10


**Disclaimer: Fire Emblem doesn't belong to me.**

**Warning spoilers for FE:10!**

**One-shot: It was never love**

**There was never any love between them.**

The former queen of Daein watched with sad eyes as her son, her true son walked away from her. He would never know who she was to him and she would never be able to claim him as her own. The world had been ripped apart by conflict and she would would not be the cause of even more chaos. If anyone learnt that Soren, the branded strategist of the mercenary's, was her son the political conflict would be immense. Her brother would take his place as king of Goldoa and the maiden of the dawn had taken control of Daein. Maybe this peace would be real.

It was time for her to return to her country. Sparing a last glance at her son she turned her eyes to the horizon. The goddess's spell had been broken and both laguz and beorc had been returned to life. Yet despite the joy and happiness Almedha felt only a sense of detachment, what did she have to celebrate? Everything that ever mattered to her had been ripped away. What was she to do now? Kurthnaga didn't need her help and Micaiah certainly didn't want her in Daein. She was a relic of the past.

A bloody past.

A past where Ashnard ruled with terror and fear. A past where an insane madman had scarred the world and whose death had been rejoiced all across Tellius. A past in which she had caused the death of her brother Rajaion. He had come to rescue her and Ashnards cruel and perverse experiments had twisted her noble brother into a creature of madness that had been used like a common wyvern. She could not have saved him, her powers, her birth-right, had been stripped from her as she had given birth to a branded child.

She had felt it, the instant the ability to shift had left her. Never again would she sore above the land, wings outstretched, swooping up and down. The thrill of flight was lost to her. Yet when she had stared into the eyes of her newborn son it had not mattered. Her child. Something that was completely hers and no-one else's. She had never understood the need to protect until then, it had crashed over her like a tsunami and she had known that there was nothing she would not do to keep her son safe. He would be the next king of Daein.

For a few moments the evils of the world had disappeared.

For a few moments she had known peace.

Then reality had struck. Ashnard had taken her son away from her, threw her in the prison and left her to rot. Rajaion had come to save her and he had lost his mind and life. For days she had pounded on the cell door, crying for her son but it was all in vain. When she was released Ashnard had told her that the boy was useless and weak, not strong enough for any of the vile plots in his head, and he had disposed of him.

She could have killed him.

Never had she felt so much hatred, so much despair, so much anger. She had gone half-mad with grief. When Izuka had claimed to have found her son, she had latched onto it like a lifeline and had been blind to the truth.

Was this her fault? For marrying a madman, for loving her son. Was her punishment to see her son but never reveal who she was? Soren would never know of her love and that hurt. But he had grown strong and smart, she could see traces of her father in him; stubborn to a fault. He had helped bring down the goddess and she was so proud of him.

Would she still have married Ashnard if she had known what would happen? Did her hatred for her husband outweigh her love for her son?

She and Ashnard had never been in love.

There had been lust and attraction. A respect for strength and greed for power. The marriage had been to cement an alliance between Goldoa and Daein before Ashnard had murdered the king.

When she had first met him, she had been bright and hopeful for the future, glad to be free of a country locked away from others, naïve to the world. He had been charming and handsome, her vanity had been flattered and his aura of strength had fascinated her. They both had strong ambitions and were in the prime of life. When she was young her brother had entertained her with tales of magic and wonder, stories of love and princes. Part of her had wanted to believe in the fairy tales. The marriage had been quick and she had moved to Daein.

For a time she had been happy, the world had been at her finger tips and nothing could bring her down. Then her husband had shown his true colours. Cruelty and terror where used to govern and the people suffered. The mad king was revealed. Her life had spiralled out of control. Still he had a certain amount of respect for her and she was treated well. His admiration for strength, her ability to shift, had kept her safe.

So she had tried to turn a blind eye but that had failed, the sufferings of the people had been too great. The marriage that had seemed perfect at the start had crumbled and whatever feelings she had for him began to change.

She understood him. She always had from the moment they had met, perhaps she had been the only one to truly understand him. The strong ruled the weak. There was no distinction between Laguz and beorc, no special treatment for social standing or blood lines. It was natural that those with power used it to control those without power. It was a simple concept and he had lived by it.

When she had become weak he had thrown her away, his life was ruled by strength. His actions were barbaric and unforgivable but even now she can see the logic in them.

It was never love between them. It was understanding.

She only had love for her son and brother. A smile appeared on the ex-queens face. The emotion that was stringer than hate that would always beat it was love. She would go through it all again; the abuse, the humiliation, the loss and grief, she would do it again for her son. Even if he never realised who she was, she would do it again.

**AN: This idea just popped into my head and I had to write it down. Do you think Almedha was OCC? I'm not sure if I wrote her character right, please review!**


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